


What If

by sperrywink



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-07
Updated: 2018-02-07
Packaged: 2019-03-15 01:04:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,702
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13602330
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sperrywink/pseuds/sperrywink
Summary: Bucky's programming breaks when he attacks Howard and Maria Stark.





	What If

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Chosenfire](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chosenfire/gifts).



Bucky was never happier than when he was given the hit on Howard because his programming shattered. He didn’t kill Howard, he didn’t kill Maria Stark, and he subsequently became good friends with Tony Stark as he helped them hunt and root out Hydra in SHIELD and the world at large.

He got to know Peggy better, even though the specter of Steve hung heavy between them. She was a firecracker and he mourned Steve’s lost opportunity. He also got to know Howard much better. He could appreciate Howard’s unswerving believe in Steve’s survival, but he recognized that it came at a cost that Tony and Maria paid, and there was nothing he could do to make up for that. He felt bad about that, especially as he grew to appreciate Tony’s genius, which was as great if not greater than Howard’s. Not that he would tell Howard that. He knew better.

Tony got sucked into the hunt for Hydra because of his search algorithms and advanced AIs. They proved to be the difference between success and failure, which was a bitter pill for Howard to swallow, particularly when they led right to his right-hand man Obadiah Stane as part of the conspiracy. Before they could apprehend Obadiah, Tony was kidnapped in the Middle East.

Howard was like a man on fire. While he single-handedly took down Obadiah, Bucky was sent off to the desert to find Tony as well as Rhodes’ Air Force team. Bucky didn’t mind. He was beside himself with worry too. He felt like it was his fault. If he hadn’t been sent after Howard, Tony wouldn’t have become involved.

As Bucky searched caves and villages in Afghanistan and Pakistan, he grew more and more desperate as all his leads turned out to be false starts. He knew every day was critical, so when day sixteen became day seventeen, he was swearing in his coffee as dawn broke, when a kid from the nearby village stealthily entered his camp. Bucky was impressed with the kid’s skills, but this wasn’t the time. He poured another cup of joe, put out a chocolate bar and some cash, and waited. The kid scurried forward taking the chocolate and the money, not touching the coffee. He whispered about a cave about 2 clicks away where some bad men were holed up guarding something or someone. 

This was a fresh lead, so Bucky put down more cash and another candy bar, and then waited for the kid to disappear again before packing up his campsite, and heading east towards the caves. It was still early, but the cover of dawn would help him if it proved to be the bastards who were holding Tony.

As he progressed towards the caves, he kept to the growing shadows as much as possible until he heard gunfire, and then he started running full out. Just was he was reaching the caves something came flying out in a swirl of sparking fire and speed, and he paused, astonished, looking up. But then the gunfire picked up again, shooting at the figure in the sky. He took out his own weapons and laid down covering fire for the figure, guessing that whoever or whatever it was should escape, especially if it was Tony.

The firefight was short but intense, until all that was left was a smoking hole in the mountains. Before Bucky could check the caves, the metal figure came stomping back into the compound and blew up the munitions, and Bucky was too stunned to react at first.

As the figure wobbled away from the fires and bursting bullets, Bucky followed until it collapsed in the sand a click away from the caves. He cautiously approached, and discovered a kind of metal suit with Tony’s dirty and bruised face behind the welding mask faceplate. 

He could have wept he was so relieved. 

Using the satellite phone, he called in the Air Force back-up made up of Rhodes’ team, as well as a quick call to Howard. As he was doing this, he was wrestling a delirious Tony out of the suit, worried about retaliation and staying in one place too long.

“Come on, Tony, come on.”

Tony’s eyes focused on him briefly, and he began mumbling, “Bucky, Buckaloo, Buckaroo Bonsai. I saved myself. Did you see that?”

“I did. You did an amazing job.”

Tony said, “I like, you, you know that, right?” You do know that?” He refocused on Bucky.

“Yeah, yeah, of course. Now, come on. We gotta get moving.”

Tony stumbled next to him for a couple of steps, and then ground to a halt. “No, you’re not listening. I really like you. I know dear ol’ dad is all about Steve Rogers, but I always liked you better. You had more gumption in all of dad’s stories.”

“Thanks, I appreciate that. But, keep moving, okay? We gotta keep moving.”

Tony nodded agreeably, and took some more dragging steps, mumbling under his breath. They were now closer to the shelter of caves perpendicular to where they started, and Bucky breathed a sigh of relief until Tony stopped again and took him by the shoulders to stare intently at him. “You’re not listening to me. I love you. You’re everything I dreamt and more. I especially love the way you didn’t kill my parents. One of my favorite people, my mom.”

Bucky knew it was the delirium talking, but he still shivered as if someone was walking over his grave. It had been so close. If it had taken just a second more for his programming to break, Howard would be dead, Maria would be dead, and Tony would be an orphan.

Figuring Tony was too delirious to remember, it was with absolute honesty that he replied, “I love you too. Now come on. We need to get to those caves, all right?”

Tony beamed at him through the grime and dirt covering his face, and turned dutifully towards the caves. They actually made it there without further interruption by Tony, and Bucky breathed easier once they were hidden away a bit.

He took off his pack, and took out a canteen to give Tony some water, who sucked it down like he was dying of thirst. Bucky said, “Easy, easy,” and made him take smaller sips. He ran his hands over Tony checking for breaks or cuts, but Tony seemed remarkably intact, although his breathing was rough. 

Asking, “Hey, does your chest hurt?” Bucky began feeling around for broken ribs. Tony was gripping one hand tight, and that’s when Bucky noticed the way he was looking into the darkened cave with fear and loathing, and began to suspect he was hyperventilating. 

He gripped Tony’s neck, and turned his head towards Bucky. “Hey, it’s okay. We’re not going in. We’re just waiting here until Rhodey comes, okay? Just until Rhodey comes.”

Tony took a couple big gulping breaths. “We’re not going in?”

“No. We’ll just stay here.”

Nodding, Tony finally passed out. Bucky didn’t know whether to be relieved or worried.

Luckily Rhodes showed up with a medic within twenty minutes. They had been out searching for Tony too, so had been near enough to get there with the chopper in under an hour.

Bucky was shunted to the back of the chopper, but he didn’t mind as long as Tony was getting care. He was separated from the group once they landed, and was taken to an airfield where Howard had a plane waiting for him. Wishing he could know how Tony was fairing, he knew well enough not to protest. His job was done, the US Air Force would take credit for the find, and he would disappear into the background.

During his debrief, he didn’t mention Tony’s suit. He wasn’t quite sure why, but he felt like that was Tony’s story to tell.

It was a good week later before he saw Tony back at Howard’s. A lot had happened in the meantime. Obadiah Stane was arrested for kidnapping as well as financial crimes, and Howard took his war on Hydra public, including Bucky’s existence as a prisoner of war. Senators resigned in disgrace as did generals, and the papers were going crazy. Bucky was also going crazy hiding out in his room, but it was better than facing the press. He figured Howard could handle all that.

Tony cornered him in his room, not that it was difficult. He slouched against the door frame and watched Bucky intently. Bucky said, “You look good.”

“You didn’t come see me.”

“I figured you would want your family around you.”

Tony snorted. “Yeah, no. I can only take so much of dad’s crusades.”

“And your mom?”

Tony eased into the room with a smile. “She’s hovering. It’s driving me mad.”

“That’s what mom’s do.”

“Yeah, and I indulge her, but I needed a break so came to find you. How are you holding up?”

Bucky shrugged, but didn’t know what to say. Tony just hummed at him, and sultry crossed the room, and eased onto his knees over Bucky in the armchair he was sitting in. Bucky wondered if he was hallucinating. With another sly smile, Tony said, “So you love me.”

At a loss, since that was the last thing Bucky expected Tony to remember, he said, “You said it first,” wondering if Tony was now going to claim it was the delirium talking. He still settled his hands on Tony’s hips.

Leaning forward, Tony kissed his cheek. “Thanks for saving me,” he whispered in Bucky’s ear.

“You saved yourself.”

Leaning back to beam at him, Tony said, “Then thanks for being there to witness me in all my grime-y glory.”

In the face of such a smile, all Bucky could say was, “My pleasure.”

“What else is your pleasure, hmm?”

Unable to resist another minute, Bucky kissed him gently, still mindful of his bruised face. Tony kissed back enthusiastically and they traded little kisses for long moments.

Tony mumbled, “I thought I had dreamt it.”

Bucky laughed. “I was sure you wouldn’t remember.”

“It was too good to forget,” was Tony’s answer, and Bucky had to kiss him deeply for that.


End file.
